If you can't find eggs at the grocery store, here's what experts recommend you use instead
- In the midst of the pandemic-related supply chain issues, some grocery stores have reported shortages of eggs as people stockpile or stress-bake them into scarcity.
- But there are plenty of culinary substitutes for eggs.
- Chia seeds, banana, yogurt, and more can help fill the gap until eggs are back in stock.
- Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.
If your last trip to the grocery store to buy eggs was unsuccessful, you're not alone. The Washington Post has reported shortages of eggs as people panic-stockpile them (and other items) and producers struggle to keep up with demand.
Eggs are a versatile and seemingly irreplaceable kitchen staple. Although there's not a one-size-fits-all solution to swapping them out, plenty of other ingredients can be substituted for eggs in a pinch.
Here are the best egg replacements for baked goods, breakfast dishes, and more.
For baking recipes, replace eggs with applesauce, banana, chia seed, or even baking soda and vinegar
Nearly all baked goods can be made with substitutes for eggs (or other out-of-stock items like milk or butter), according to Deana Karim, expert baker and CEO of Good Dees, a low-carb baking mix company.
"The biggest thing that I hear is how can we replace eggs? Because eggs are very hard to get right now from the grocery store," she told Insider.
For sweet recipes, Karim recommends mashed banana, apple sauce, yogurt, and peanut butter (or a combination of these) as substitutes.
For more liquid ingredients like applesauce or yogurt, start with about a 1/4 cup per egg you're trying to replace.
If you're using bananas, be sure they're very ripe, use about one medium banana per egg, and mash it up before you mix.
Peanut butter and other nut butters can be especially helpful as a binding agent for things like cookies, since they are sticky enough to keep the dry ingredients together. You can often tell by the texture whether you've added enough.
"With cookies, it's very obvious, if it's not holding together on the baking sheet, it's not going to be a miracle in the oven," Karim said.
For more neutral-tasting substitutes (if you don't want sweetness or fruit flavor), you can use a tablespoon of chia or flax seeds, mixed with three tablespoons of water and left to sit for 5 minutes, according to Karim. Use this formula to replace one egg. It also adds extra fiber to your recipe.
In a pinch, a mixture of baking soda (start with one teaspoon) and vinegar (one tablespoon) can also replace eggs in recipes like cake, which can be a little less forgiving than cookies.
"That helps give it the rise and the bind" you would get from eggs, Karim said.
Depending on what you have on hand, and what you're trying to make, many recipes will likely require some experimentation to perfect.
"For a lot people, it's going to be trial and error, and you're going to have use a couple things," she said.
Karim recommends trying out a small portion of recipes in a mug cake (exactly like it sounds — a single serving of batter or dough, microwaved in a large coffee or tea mug for about 60 seconds, then another 30 if it doesn't look done).
To add more protein to breakfast and beyond, consider lentils, oats, or chickpeas
If you typically rely on eggs for a hearty breakfast or as a foundational source of daily protein, there are plenty of solutions for that too, according to Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD and virtual plant-based performance nutritionist.
"Beans, chickpeas and lentils can make great alternatives to eggs in scrambles, along with veggies and herbs," she told Insider via email. "The more plant based food groups you can fit into a meal the broader your intake will be of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants."
Lentils contain lots of protein and they're high in fiber, which is important for healthy digestion. Toss them in a skillet with your choice of veggies, seasonings, and whatever else you'd use in a scramble. Heat through and enjoy.
Oats are another option. They're a great source of protein as well as fiber, vitamins, and minerals. One cup has more than 20 grams of protein along with nutrients like folate, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and iron.
Oatmeal is also a versatile food, served either sweet or savory. It can also be conveniently made overnight and served with whatever toppings you choose, including fruit, nuts and sweeteners. As a bonus, oats are shelf-stable and can keep for over a year in the pantry if properly stored.
Read more:
4 tips for eating well from your freezer during a coronavirus quarantine, according to nutritionists
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